Gwent drug dealers must pay £2k back

3:10pm Saturday 16th March 2013 in News

TWO drug dealers must pay back money they made "enjoying the criminal lifestyle," a court heard.

Reece Morgan, 24, and Kelly Watkins, 22, appeared at Newport Crown Court where they were ordered to pay back more than £2,000 they made supplying drugs.

Both were given suspended jail sentences in December after admitting possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply and appeared in court this week for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing.

Morgan, of Malpas Road, Newport was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years and Watkins, of Lewis Close, Garndiffaith, got a six-month sentence, suspended for two years.

Prosecutor David Pugh told the court that Morgan benefited by £2,000 from his exploits while Watkins made £369.23 from her role.

Mr Pugh said an assessment of the pair revealed Morgan has £1,060 in available assets to repay his debt while his partner in crime was able to repay her debt totally.

Defending Morgan, Simon Goodman said he was able to repay £240 immediately and was given an extra six months to pay back the outstanding £820. If he defaults, he will go to jail for 45 days.

Watkins was told she must pay back her share within three months and if she fails, she will be locked up for 14 days.

Judge Philip Richards said: "Each of you enjoyed a criminal lifestyle - you Reece Morgan by at least £2,000 and in your case Kelly Watkins by £369.23."

Comments(8)

tHatDude says...
10:49pm Sat 16 Mar 13

No wonder people turn to making money like this, when the economy is a mess, jobs are hard to get, and minimum wage is a pittance. If people are stupid enough to buy drugs...

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MR DUDLEY says...
12:41am Sun 17 Mar 13

British Justice at it worst, a hard working honest person would get a harsher punishment if they had a "brake light out on their transport (car etc) which they rely on for getting them to work. Put these word in order "Judges are out of touch with the real World", seems they are in order.

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MR DUDLEY says...
12:41am Sun 17 Mar 13

British Justice at it worst, a hard working honest person would get a harsher punishment if they had a "brake light out on their transport (car etc) which they rely on for getting them to work. Put these word in order "Judges are out of touch with the real World", seems they are in order.

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KarmaSuitsYa says...
11:11am Sun 17 Mar 13

Lol - what hypocrisy! Condemns the profiting from the proceeds of crime, then insists the proceeds, which weren't taken from them in the first place, are given to them, thereby profiting from the proceeds of crime.

Ah well, we have to pay for your expenses somehow, don't we judge? I wouldn't mind so much if you sent the proceeds to charity or such, but I expect you don't, do you?

Got ot hand it to our government - even (arguable) criminality isn't immune from stealth taxes.

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Dai Rear says...
4:08pm Sun 17 Mar 13

KarmaSuitsYa wrote:
Lol - what hypocrisy! Condemns the profiting from the proceeds of crime, then insists the proceeds, which weren't taken from them in the first place, are given to them, thereby profiting from the proceeds of crime.

Ah well, we have to pay for your expenses somehow, don't we judge? I wouldn't mind so much if you sent the proceeds to charity or such, but I expect you don't, do you?

Got ot hand it to our government - even (arguable) criminality isn't immune from stealth taxes.
Well the money they made came from welfare payments and shoplifting so it doesn't seem unreasonable to return it in some way.And there is already a tax, called Victim Surcharge (lol) brought in, of course, by the Right Hon Member for Kircaldy, that silent fellow who keeps drawing our cash; and being increased by the round faced fellow with an obsession about homosexuals being "married". What a dreary crew. At least Farage is a smoker so he's not anal retentive like the current crew of buffoons.

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terry1940 says...
6:19pm Sun 17 Mar 13

Its about time that judges and jp doctors were made more accountable for their actions and suitability to do the job that THEY chose to do, and not think that they are untouchable.

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Trefor says...
12:08pm Mon 18 Mar 13

That` about a dozen `wraps` I bet

Hardly life changing

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Pikey-Biker says...
9:35am Thu 21 Mar 13

but it's nice to see drug dealers have pay back that money

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